This invention relates to a training instrument for a sport in which a ball or similar object is struck or thrown by a player grasping the instrument with both hands such as a baseball bat, a cricket bat, a lacrosse stick known as a crosse, and a tennis racket which is sometimes swung with both hands.
In sports activities where an instrument is held with both hands and used to strike, propel or throw an object, the instrument is held at or adjacent to one end thereof with a first hand with the second hand adjacent thereto, or in the case of a hockey stick the second hand is spaced from the first hand.
The first hand predominantly provides a pivot although it will move in an arc-like motion, while the second hand predominantly provides power and/or acceleration to the struck or thrown object. It is important that movement of the hands must be in coordination to properly impact an object at the point of contact of the instrument with the object or the point of release of the object in the case of throwing the ball in lacrosse.
In baseball (the term xe2x80x9cbaseballxe2x80x9d includes softball as used herein), in the art of instructing batters skill drills are employed to attempt to teach a batter to develop proper top and bottom hand movement when swinging a bat. A problem with such drills is that each hand is drilled individually, which is not the case when an athlete is attempting to hit a moving object. If a batter uses a bat that is articulated or pivotal between the gripping hands, he cannot accelerate the bat head unless the top hand on the bat is effectively employed. The principal purpose of a training bat that is articulated or pivotal between the gripping hands is to teach the batter to develop proper swing mechanics, which will lead to bat head accuracy and improve eye-hand coordination.
An articulated training bat has previously been disclosed by Gary C. Boyce in U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,996. This patent discloses an articulation on a training bat between the two hand gripping portions that is designed to teach the batting student to have the second hand lead the first hand at the point and time of impact of the bat on the ball.
Generally speaking, at the point and time of impact the first hand should not be ahead of the second hand, dependent on the direction of swing, otherwise little power is imparted to the ball when struck. The second hand must be leading the first hand in the swing or snapping into a leading position at the time of impact to provide maximum bat velocity at the time ball is impacted.
The articulation of the instrument between the hand gripping portions provides a hands-on or tactile perception of the proper relative hand motion during a swing and with repeated practice either with or without a thrown ball, the batting student improves hand coordination as well as build-up of wrist and arm strength. This will ultimately result in increased bat acceleration at time of ball impact resulting in harder hit and/or longer hit balls.
The practice bat of the aforementioned patent is very labor and material intensive requiring modification of an existing bat by severing one hand portion from the end of the bat, counter boring both of the facing severed portions, screw securing both ends of a helical spring in the counter bores with screws and a potting compound and then providing bumpers at the severed ends of the bat. This construction still leaves an opening between the severed ends of the bats which could pinch a hand or fingers of a user when one portion is articulated with respect to the other.
The present invention provides a sports training instrument of the type stated which is an improvement over the bat disclosed in the aforementioned patent. The present invention provides a sports training instrument which requires only one or two additional elements if made from an existing instrument, i.e., a bat.
The invention will be predominantly described as embodied in a baseball/softball bat although it may be embodied in other sports instruments as hereinafter described.
An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved sports activity training instrument of the type in which two hands are utilized to swing the instrument to strike a moving object or to throw a captured object.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved baseball/softball training bat.
A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved sports activity training instrument in which there is no separation between the handle and head portions which could cause pinching of the hands or fingers upon use.
Briefly stated, the invention as embodied in one form thereof in a training bat for baseball/softball comprises separate handle and head portions. The handle and head normally have a common longitudinal axis. At least the head portion has an at least partially rounded end in contact with a bearing member at the adjacent handle end which permits the head portion to pivot with respect to the handle. The bearing member has a concave surface receiving the rounded end of the handle portion. An elastomeric sleeve extends over the gripping portions of the handle, head and bearing and maintains the handle and head in normal axial longitudinal alignment, but permits pivotal movement of the head with respect to the handle, and prevents a finger or hand part from being pinched between the two bat portions.
The invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. The invention, however, together with further objects and advantages thereof may be best appreciated by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings